By Spy Uganda
Kampala: As Uganda approached its Thursday 14 2021, general polls, the Uganda Communications Commissions (UCC) directed all Telecom companies to immediately suspend all social media and Short Message Services (SMS) platform, and all other online communication services in a bid to curb electoral violence.
READ ALSO: Uninstall VPNs Or Face Jail-Gov’t Vows To Hunt Down Ugandans Accessing Social Media Via VPN
Since then, millions of Ugandans have been using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access social media which government has cautioned regularly noting that they will be arrested since the government blocked the platforms until all elections are done.
However, to show ‘thier holiness’ and the charisma to follow all Government directive to the latter, including, their members paying all their taxes in time, the Uganda Advertising Association (UUA) has asked its members to halt usage of VPN and quit social media till the telecommunications regulator lifts the ban or risk being dragged to court at some point.
READ ALSO: UCC, URA Sued Over Social Media Tax, VPN Blocked!
This communication has been passed through a memo intercepted by our spy that reads thus;
“UGANDA ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION “Uganda, with a professional communications industry, at world-class standards.”
MEMO
TO: ALL UAA Members,
RE: UCC DIRECTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS AND USE OF VPN
As an Association, we are bound by the rules, regulations and guidelines issued by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Ministry of Information, Communication, Technology and National Guidance.
As we may all know, on January 12th, 2021 UCC directed all telecoms to shut down social media and access to VPN. This ban is yet to be lifted although many members of the public and various brands are still able to access social media platforms via VPN.
A number of our members service Digital Clients. As UAA, we want to urge all our members not to engage in the use of VPN and therefore advise the respective clients to halt social media activity until UCC lifts the ban on social media and VPN use to avoid any possible future legal action that may arise from actions contrary to the shared instructions.
As creative industry players, this is the time to innovate new and exciting campaigns and channels to deliver the client’s communication objectives while protecting our clients’ businesses and while at it, ensure the safety and security of our individual members.”
Whether this is the best business advice ever to a business partner,our spy will keep an eye on the progress of the same, because one of the attributes of a business oriented mind is to maneuver in all situations to make the business survive.
